Introduction

VA3OPP

is the callsign assigned by Industry Canada to the Amateur Radio Station which is to be located at the Ontario Provincial Police - Provincial Communications Centre in North Bay, Ontario. . This picture shows the main radio equipment donated for use at the station installation.

Operating Activities

The VA3OPP Amateur Radio Station is usually active in the Ontario QSO Party (which happens each April) and occasionally during other operating events throughout the year. The Ontario QSO Party was chosen as the main operating event, as its purpose is to contact as many other stations in all parts of Ontario as possible. What better way to test the communications ability of the station than to enter it into a contest? The station does not have a permanent home, but that is being worked on and hopefully will be a reality early in 2007. The planned location is at the O.P.P. Provincial Communications Centre - North Bay. Equipment has been donated to give the station HF and VHF capabilities to enable communications with other Amateur Radio Stations primarily in the Province of Ontario, but communications can be extended world wide.

Why Amateur Radio? An Amateur Radio Station can contact any other Amateur Station to pass messages during emergencies. Amateur Operators pride themselves in being able to effectively operate in disaster conditions. In non-emergent times amateurs are restricted to passing messages of a personal nature that would not normally be communicated.

Amateur Radio Operators There are four licensed operators working within the Provincial Communications Centre - North Bay. Three are Communications Operators, and one is a Technologist. There would be no shortage of "Control Operators" in case the station were to be activated during an emergency. As well, members of the North Bay Amateur Radio Club or the local ARES group could also attend to operate the station if the situation warranted. There are well over a hundred licensed operators in the North Bay area.